Erick Joseph Kristianson was convicted in Santa Ana on Dec. 15 of 23 felony counts for abusing 10 girls, some as young as 9, while coaching and counseling in youth cheer programs. Prosecutors say the misconduct occurred in Orange County between 1999 and 2006 at Magic All-Stars, Trabuco Hills High School and a YMCA camp. Many victims came forward after Kristianson's 2022 arrest in Florida on related allegations. He faces sentencing on March 19, 2026, and a possible maximum term of 165 years to life.
Former Cheer Coach Convicted on 23 Felony Counts in Abuse Case Involving 10 Girls
Credit: Volusia County Jail
A California jury on Dec. 15 convicted Erick Joseph Kristianson, 46, of 23 felony counts tied to the sexual abuse of 10 girls, some as young as 9, while he worked in youth cheer programs, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said.
Case Details
The convictions include eleven felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts on a minor under 14, four felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts on a child aged 14 or 15, six felony counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object of a minor under 18, and two felony counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object of a minor under 16 — a total of 23 felony counts, prosecutors said.
Volusia County Jail
Where and When The Abuse Occurred
Prosecutors say the offenses took place in Orange County between 1999 and 2006 while Kristianson worked in several youth programs: as a competitive coach at Magic All-Stars, as an assistant cheer coach at Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo, and as a counselor at a South Orange County YMCA sleep-away camp.
Victim Reporting and Subsequent Arrests
The district attorney's office said the ten victims were between the ages of 9 and 16. Two victims later told investigators they stopped cheerleading after the abuse but did not report the incidents at the time because they were afraid and embarrassed. Many of the Orange County victims came forward in 2022 after news of Kristianson's arrest in Daytona Beach, Florida.
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That Florida arrest alleged Kristianson masturbated on camera to three children ages 11 to 13 and inappropriately touched another 13-year-old girl, all students at the Champion Elite Legacy cheer club where he coached. Following media coverage of the Florida case, at least one Orange County victim contacted investigators and described abuse that began when she was 14 and continued until age 15.
Extraditions And Additional Charges
Kristianson, who lists Antioch, Tennessee, as his residence, was arrested in Kansas in August 2022 on a warrant and extradited to Florida; authorities said he posted $300,000 bond and was released without travel restrictions. He was later arrested in Fargo, North Dakota, in 2023 on an Orange County felony warrant and extradited to Southern California to face prosecution on the Orange County cases.
Sentencing
Kristianson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2026, at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana. Prosecutors say he faces a combined maximum possible sentence of 165 years to life in state prison.
Note: PEOPLE reached out to Kristianson’s attorney for comment, according to the district attorney’s release.
